The Gift That Literally Gives Back

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How Giving Benefits the Giver

Have you ever been more excited to watch someone open your gift than you were to unwrap your own? (If not, you should probably work on that.) There’s a certain satisfaction in seeing someone benefit from our actions. It turns out that the act of giving could be a key factor not only in the recipient’s well-being but also in your own health and happiness as the giver.

“Giving” can mean a lot of different things, whether that’s providing emotional or financial support to a person or cause, volunteering your time, or giving more of yourself in your relationships. The way you decide to give back isn’t important, because it’s the intent behind the giving that makes a difference in your own happiness. Take it from Winston Churchill who said, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”

The idea that giving back can benefit the giver’s emotional state is not a new concept. Aristotle pinpointed this idea with his concept of Eudaimonia – the euphoric state of happiness that someone can only experience by carrying out moral duties. But what about the physical benefits of contribution? The resounding opinion in modern research and testimony is that giving back does, in fact, affect the giver’s physical (and mental) well-being.

In a recent study,* researchers suggest that giving support versus receiving it benefits your brain more. The study reported that the act of giving activates different parts of your brain in different ways – it decreases the stress-related activity in your brain and increases the reward-related activity. This means that besides the warm and fuzzy feeling you get by serving others, giving back can help you manage stress and offer you a feeling of repayment.

Want to see if it’s true? Try volunteering! Volunteering is a fantastic way to not only give back but also to reap countless rewards. The Mayo Clinic** suggests that volunteering can reduce depression, decrease stress, and even help you live longer! This could be partly because many volunteering activities require you to be more physically and mentally active. But, volunteering also expands your social network and builds camaraderie among givers, which are both contributing factors to your overall contentment.

It’s obvious that contribution doesn’t just lead to positive physiological and mental results. It also adds to your overall sense of purpose in life – and that greater purpose means a happier, more fulfilled life. As Charles Dickens said, “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”

So, whatever excuse you have for not giving more – not enough time, money, or desire – remember it’s you who’s ultimately missing out on the overwhelming benefits. Contribution gives us a purpose, connects us to the people around us, and ultimately gives us a subconscious idea that our giving will someday be repaid.

So, go out there, be selfish, and give back like a boss.

BUY ONE, GIVE BACK TO SOMEONE IN NEED

You have an opportunity to give back right now! When you purchase an individual box of dairy-free IsaLean™ Bars in Chocolate Coconut Almond from May 19, 2018 through May 31, 2018, we’ll give one box to a family need.*** There’s no limit to how much you can give and it’s the perfect way to celebrate Global Give Back Day!

Current Customers can use the IsaLife™ mobile app to purchase or IsaProduct.com to learn more.

***For every individual box of Chocolate Coconut Almond IsaLean™ Bars purchased wholesale in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico) and Canada between May 19, 2018 and May 31, 2018, Isagenix will donate one additional box of Chocolate Coconut Almond IsaLean Bars to a charitable organization.